


to make me feel this way

by notaboutstarlight



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: A little Kevin-centric, Alcohol Content, Andrew Minyard Smiles GDI, Bartender Andrew Minyard, Bartender Neil Josten, Flirty Neil Josten, Kandreil - Freeform, Kevin finds a family, Kevin has a real live parent, Kevin wants a life outside of Exy, M/M, Past Kevin Day/Jean Moreau, Pining, Pining Kevin Day, Riko mention, Tattooed Andrew Minyard, binge drinking mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29155932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notaboutstarlight/pseuds/notaboutstarlight
Summary: Kevin takes a break from Exy and discover that sometimes a drink or ten may find you off your feet but with a foot in the door for a family and lovers too.Written for AFTG MIXTAPE 2021Song: Wicked Game by Grace Carter
Relationships: Kevin Day/Andrew Minyard, Kevin Day/Neil Josten, Kevin Day/Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36
Collections: AFTG Mixtape Exchange 2021





	to make me feel this way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [justadreamfox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justadreamfox/gifts).



> Dearest justadreamfox (zan),
> 
> I'm so sorry this is late and am very thankful for your patience. I adore the song so much but it scared me that it was a little too sad and I remember that you didn't like them sad. I admire you so much. You write such stunning and heartwarming kandreil content that when I got the assignment I was a little starstruck and ecstatic and then a little terrified but again also excited and so I definitely overthought this and changed fic ideas several times.
> 
> I hope you read something that makes you smile.
> 
> Thank you to Maya and Anana, for always being so encouraging and listening to my weird af ideas. For enabling crack just to stir me away from angst. I appreciate you both so much. <3 This is the first fic I've finished and posting in a decade, so. I didn't think it was going to happen ever again. Maya thank you for looking this over.
> 
> AFTG TWITTER FAM I'm so thankful for all of you. Dee and Lenda you're always so so thoughtful. 
> 
> P, you're unlikely to read this ever because you're not even in this fandom. I'm so glad you looked me in the eye and asked me point blank if I read drarry a few years ago. Hero.
> 
> Thank you to the organizers for this wonderful opportunity! It's such a great concept.

Kevin sighed into his 3rd vodka of the night as he sat on his favorite seat in The Blade. 

Located at the far end of the bar, it was the most comfy bar chair farthest from the door, nearest the wall, and conveniently hidden behind a pillar while still providing a great view of the room. Most importantly, though Kevin was still reluctant to admit it even after 3 months, it gave an excellent view of the bartender.

The one currently on shift is Dan Wilds, part owner of The Blade, and Kevin’s newly found adopted sister whom Kevin met a few months ago when he first stumbled into the speakeasy/ bar a few months ago.

Dan was kind and fierce and frank. And had a temper to be wary of. A temper that Kevin had already unfortunately triggered by getting a little too fresh with one of the bartenders that fateful night Kevin’s bender accidentally found him a family. 

  


Kevin had been three weeks into his year long sabbatical from Exy then. A sabbatical taken initially when it came to light that Tetsuji Moriyama, known to Kevin as an uncle and guardian in the years since his mother passed, knew the identity of his father and failed to hand over custody. 

Not that Kevin needed custody at age 24. Still, he had not wanted to be anywhere near Tetsuji who never even called to apologize or explain. Did that man even really cared about Kevin at all? Kevin didn't want anything to do with people who lied to him and used him and so Kevin wanted nothing to do with Tetsuji Moriyama or Tetsuji’s teams, or Tetsuji’s friends’ teams. Then there was Riko, who honestly was getting a little too unbearable harping about creating The Perfect Court for the Olympics, Riko who was supposed to be a brother to Kevin but was instead too self involved and selfish and definitely tone deaf to Kevin’s identity crisis.

The idea was to spend the year off getting to know his father away from the media scrutiny. The identity of his father at least had not been leaked as of yet and they had been able to communicate in private, Kevin arranging a visit, maybe even a move to somewhere closer to the area. 

The sabbatical definitely became a blessing, almost a little too conveniently, when just a week after that clusterfuck, Jean Moreau, Kevin’s most treasured friend and recently sometime lover took to the press, tired and drawn and just fucking exhausted of Riko and Exy and probably Kevin too and just… aired all their dirty laundry during a daytime guesting. 

There was a media frenzy of course and Kevin just stopped taking calls after the first three days, thankful that his schedule didn’t have anything Exy on it for the next year. and hurried along his move out of New York. 

Riko was arrested, Jean was unreachable, and Kevin reached for the nearest alcoholic drink available.

He was shocked that Jean had done it on live television but he hadn’t been surprised at the contempt and discontent. Exy just hadn’t felt like home in a while. 

Going to court had felt like a chore, where it used to feel like belonging. Maybe it was the fame, or the fortune, or the fans. Whatever it was, it exposed the splinters in the home Kevin found in the company of Riko and Jean. Seeing Riko putting his ambitions before his lifelong friends, practically brothers, and going so far as to make shady game fixing deals had been a chilling reality check. 

Jean and Kevin had drifted away from Riko and towards each other but it felt strained, like grasping at straws trying to catch something, anything. 

Jean visited Kevin that night after two weeks of sending and taking no calls. Jean had known to find him in Palmetto and had come to say goodbye, to say that Jean was retiring, to say that Jean was leaving the country.

Jean had said he wanted to keep Kevin as he held Kevin but that Kevin wasn’t his without Exy. 

They had held each other a little while longer then, but Kevin didn’t really have words to comfort Jean and make Jean stay, didn’t feel the words needed would be true out of him, not in the way Jean wanted or needed at least. So Kevin kept his silence and pressed a kiss on Jean’s cheek as Jean left to find his own way. 

That same night Kevin went out drinking, started a bar crawl in a restless, hopeless quest for anonymity and head space. 

Kevin had been not quite heart broken, but definitely emotionally drained, and lonely as fuck.

He remembers being already very tipsy and being drawn in by the haunting maudlin remix of one of his favorite songs blaring from The Blade while he stumbled on home. 

He had intended only to sample drinks until he passed out under the strangely captivating orange light, a little like firelight, that made Kevin think of warm and warmth and wasn’t that something Kevin had been looking for all night? Maybe all his life. So like a moth summoned by the flickering light Kevin went in to pay tribute to a flame.

  


He vaguely remembers a man with vibrant russet colored hair, bright blue eyes and a quick grin. He felt dizzy and queasy and giddy and on fire and then it was laughter and shouting then the cold cold spray of freezing water rushing insistent against his face.

He doesn’t really remember much of what happened next. Just that he woke up to Dan Wilds, threatening to call his long lost dad just recently found, about Kevin misbehaving at her bar.

They were at the ER because Kevin lost his balance after being hosed down and hit his head against the wall. He was drunk and groggy and Dan didn’t want to chance a law suit and brought him to get checked out for a concussion and stayed while he sobered up.

Kevin had been confused until he recognized her as one of the women on the photographs that lined the walls of David Wymack’s home. His dad had pointed out the photos and named every face during a house tour on one of their Saturday dinners. Kevin remembers wistfully looking at the photographs and wanting to be a face up on those walls. Kevin still can’t believe he has a real live parent. And now a sister.

Dan was kind after she warned him off of harassing her staff that was mostly made of family, she had said. 

Kevin had complimented her about the speakeasy/bar but put his foot in his mouth and remarked upon her lack of height, she only waved it away as she talked about Neil and the twins who were close to her in height hence the elevated platform behind the bar. 

She also told him that Neil did their books while Andrew did their marketing and that Aaron, who was studying to be a lawyer, covered anything with legal contracts. She told him about Allison who, he found out, actually brewed and supplied The Blade’s home brews but liked moonlighting as a waitress some nights for research but also amusement. Renee who secured the place and made sure it didn’t get too rowdy with an easy smile and a very firm and swift hand. And Matt and Seth who performed a dizzying number of instruments between them.

Kevin felt excitement creeping into his chest for the first time in a long while. He was looking forward to meeting these people.

Dan dropped him off at his new home and told him not to be a stranger but only if he comes back sober. Kevin thinks that it won’t be a problem.

  


Kevin returned the next night, found the same seat, and hid while he tried to catch sight of Dan.

“What can I get you and if you answer You I will spray you again and this time there’s a bucket full of ice to go with it” came a familiar voice that Kevin was mortified to hear.

Kevin slowly moved his hands away, uncovering his face and stared at the man before him.  
Neil was lovelier than Kevin’s drunken mind had remembered. Full head of wavy auburn hair, bright blue eyes, and mischievous looking smile. Like he knew exactly how nervous Kevin was, how embarassed but determined he was.

“I’m Kevin. I was an asshole yesterday and I came to apologize. You’re definitely also definitely hotter than I remember. ” Neil blinked 

“You know I thought you’d be more arrogant? You also looked pretty trashed last night Kevin, so do you even remember what you’re apologizing for?”

“I was…fresh? It was… insulting?” Neil laughed and it brightened his face. 

“It was…flattering actually but we don’t reach out and touch people here unless with express and explicit consent.” 

“Got it.”

“How many drinks did you have last night Kevin?”

“Upwards of 10?”

“You can have three and buy everyone a round as an apology too.” Kevin did so and spent the rest of the night hearing Neil laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> The fic is completed and chapters will be up soon.
> 
> Any comments, thoughts, and feelings are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for reading!


End file.
